Raise your hand if you’ve ever wandered past the magazine aisle at the grocery store more than once, just to look. You glance over the gorgeous covers, pick out a magazine, and start flipping through its glossy pages filled with the weddings that dreams are made of. And you think, “I want a wedding like that.”

With just a few adjustments here and there, you can have a magazine worthy wedding experience! The first step of course is to hire the best possible photographer you can find. Without a professional photographer on your team, even the most gorgeous wedding details will fall flat in a photograph.

Once you have your photographer in place, help her out! Starting with your getting ready photos … a little planning ahead, and you’ll set yourself up to have magazine worthy pictures while you dress for your wedding day.

First, get dressed in a beautiful room. It might seem obvious (or maybe not), but the prettier the scene, the naturally prettier your photos will be. Take for example the stunning bridal suite at Mint Springs Farm, or perhaps this luxurious suite at Sugar Beach in Maui. These rooms are spacious, full of natural light, and ready for your bride tribe. Even if you can’t have a room like that, simply tidying up before your photographer arrives will make all the difference.

Second, consider coordinating your bridesmaids before they even put on their dresses. Cute matching robes for your bridesmaids are not only an excellent gift idea, they also help make your getting ready photos feel more cohesive and magazine ready.

And finally, the number one thing that contributes to having gorgeous photos is beautiful natural light. When it’s time, put on your gown near a large window that lets the natural light pour in. Trust me, your photographer will thank you (especially if that corner of the room is clean)!

Jenna Henderson is a top Nashville wedding photographer with timeless, classic style. She uses a mixture of film and digital photography for the weddings and engagement sessions of her sophisticated, southern brides, giving clients an exquisite collection of iconic photos with genuine, photojournalistic storytelling.